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JK 791 
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1914b 
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CONTRIBUTORY PLAN OF RETIREMENT OF 

EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED 

CIVIL SERVICE 



HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON 
REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Sixty-third Congress, Second Session 



STATEMENT OF Dr. WILLIAM J. MANNING 

MEDICAL OFFICER, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 



FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1914 



35787—14 







0. 0F g; 

■JAM 29 1915 






^^ CONTRIBUTORY PLAN OF RETIREMENT. 






V I^TATEMENT OF DR. WILLIAM J. MANNING, MEDICAL OFFICER, 
^ ^ . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

Dr. Manning. Mr. Chairman, I desire to speak a few words relative 
to the subject under consideration this morning, and to mention more 
especially the need of some such law that will provide for the retire- 
ment of aged and infirm employees of the Government, especially 
those who are employed in a mechanical capacity and who are em- 
braced within the scope of the proposed legislation. 

I am here of my own vohtion and upon the invitation of Repre- 
sentative Godwin and Mr. Russell, not as the representative of the 
Public Printer, or voicing any opinion that he may have upon the 
subject, although I am of the opinion, that should you ask him, you 
will fuid that this official is only too willing to cooperate with Congress 
in every practical way for the solution of this perplexing problem. 

We employ in our estabfishment upward of 4,400 persons, and when 
I state that as high as 5 per cent, in my opinion, of these employees are 
unable to perform a day's labor, as compared with younger persons 
upon the same line of work, I do not exaggerate matters in the least. 

Scarce a day passes that I am not implored by two or three aged and 
infirm employees to intercede for them with the different section 
chiefs, whereby they may be assigned to lighter work, and to the 
credit of those chiefs be it said that they all, without a single excep- 
tion — high and low — endeavor to help to the fullest possible extent 
when such appeals are made whereby assignments to lighter duties are 
given. Yet it will readily be seen that there must be a limit to this 
constantly increasing state of affairs, and when foremen propound the 
following question to you, ''Doctor, how am I going to get my work 
out with a partially crippled force?" you are obliged to turn away 
your head, for the question is unanswerable, and therein Hes the 
problem. 

If you will look about you, gentlemen, and observe the signs of the 
times, you will note there is an onward march of humanity in dealing 
with one another, with absolutely no retrograde movement. People 
are becoming interested in the welfare of one another, such as the 
history of the world has never known before, and tremendous strides 
are being taken along the lines mentioned. 

My heart, Mr. Chairman, is with the fellow who has not a Govern- 
ment job and who would therefore not be entitled to the same benefits 
which are urged here this morning, and I would not appear before this 
body did I think this whole matter is not one of simply giving Govern- 
ment employees that to which they are entitled, and of a surety did 
I not firmly believe that the issue will become a national one inside 
of a period of less than a few years, whereby persons engaged in every 
walk of life in the United States will come under similar protection. 



4 CONTEIBUTORY PLAN OP RETIREMENT OF EMPLOYEES. 

If we view the action taken by the German Government toward its 
people, whereby an insurance provision is made for their old age, 
irrespective of their vocation in Mf e, and the splendid results that have 
thus been obtained not only in Germany (she is stronger and greater 
to-day than ever before, though the critics claimed the German Em- 
peror would beggar the country when he first urged the law), but in 
England, where a similar law is in force, and where the results have 
been equally as gratifying as those obtained in Germany, we can 
not but realize that the contentions of the advocates of such a law 
for this country are completely substantiated. 

It would appear only a question of time, Mr. Chairman, when this 
knowledge becomes known to the rank and file of American citizens 
or voters, that they will demand a law similar in character. Indeed, 
so deeply rooted will this matter become in their minds (self-preserva- 
tion), that one may be permitted to quote from the Bible without 
irreverence the aphorism "For where your treasure is, there will your 
heart be also." 

In other words, the people or voters will say, "If it is possible for an 
imperial form of government to obtain and enforce these laws with 
such beneficial results, and it does not appear possible to obtain such 
benefits under a repubhcan form of government, then give us an 
emperor or an absolute monarchy, provided we can have such benefits 
and towards which we are willing to contribute in our youth." 
Human nature is the same, whether it is in Germany, England, France, 
or America. 

The International Typographical Union over five years ago estab- 
lished a pension system for old and superannuated printers, whereby 
they are allowed the sum of five or six dollars a week, and to which 
they are entitled after they have been members of their local typo- 
graphical union for a period of some 20 years. The upkeep of this 
splendid exemplification of interest in their brothers' welfare is paid 
for cheerfully and wilhngly by those who are still able to work and 
who enjoy good health, because they feel that the time will come 
when they in turn will enjoy the benefits or become beneficiaries. 

Among the industrial organizations, the International Typograph- 
ical Union has thus raised a monument to itself in the initiative of 
this matter, taking personally its own burdens upon its own shoulders 
and laying down an example for others to follow, even to our great 
National Government, in matters of this kind. They did not recog- 
nize the situation as a theory, but rather as one of an existing con- 
dition, and did their best to solve the problem. 

Electrotypers', bookbinders', and pressmen's unions, all splendid 
organizations, are putting into force similar measures. Fine! 
Humane! Good work! AU the outcome of the teachings of Christ 
2,000 years ago, slowly but surely disseminated, and that continue to 
gather impetus from year to year. 

As science progresses, with resulting decrease in superstition, and 
the spirit of Christ manifestmg itself in our times, men lose their 
timidity and fear of death and begin to realize more and more that 
this present life is but one in an undoubted series of lives. That of 
a surety they will all live again ; that it is only a matter of time 
when science will prove to their special senses (whereby we come to 
know or appreciate things as facts in our daily lives) the connection 
between phenomena in this world and the next, and the state of life 



CONTEIBUTOBY PLAN OP EETIEEMENT OF EMPLOYEES. 5 

througli which we have passed in our constant evolution. Men, I 
say, begin to realize as never before that our complex, chemical 
(none the less Godlike because it is chemical in origin or that the 
Creator has thus utilized his elements), wonderfully constructed 
human bodies or personalities are not made to stumble through this 
life of sorrow and care — much of our own making — to be finally snufiFed 
out forever with the grave. 

We do not appreciate this statement merely because it is not known 
to our special senses at the present time, but the fact is lying dor- 
mant, awaiting exemplification, as were electricity and other now 
known natural forces until they were stumbled upon by man. 

Enough evidence is already presented to us by our special senses to 
enable our concepts to grasp the idea, and which reflection and delib- 
eration only accentuates, that if the Creator is capable of producing 
that which we observe about us in this world, the same power is 
capable of still greater things, the least among which may be the 
transfer of our conscious or subconscious lives from this world to 
the next. Have we not even this hint from the Bible — ''who seeing, 
see not?" 

Analyze the matter how you will, look at it from every angle and 
possible vantage ground, one is bound to arrive at the same con- 
clusion because of the ever-constant sum total presenting itself, i. e., 
that the only rational toll required of us by the Creator in our passage 
through this life is simply a little kindness shown one to the other 
with an output of work or energy of a ma,nual or mental variety. 

The character of the work required depends on one's inchnation, 
training, and environment; the pecuniary return just what such labor 
is worth in the worldly market, coincident and subservient to the 
law of supply and demand. If men designate your work as common- 

f)lace, lowly, or menial in comparison with their own particular labor, 
et their ego evaporate when they consider that which is least may 
be greatest, or, in other words, "Let him become a fool that he may 
be wise." 

I must say that words of commendation on my part are due to 
the utterances of Congressman Dies this morning, wherein he stated 
in the case of the death of an employee at or about the retirement 
age, whereby a pension would be due him, it should entitle the widow 
or mother to the receipt of such a benefit. 

Indeed, I agree with the honorable Congressman, and would state 
additionally that these wives and mothers who stay at home and work 
and help their husbands and share his daily worries could be more 
properly classified under the caption of ''domestic heroines." They 
work and bear the thousand-and-one cares incident to raising a family 
or discharging household duties. No one hears of their achievements 
and triumphs — they are not cried aloud from the housetops — they 
do not seek or sip of the applause of the world. Their wisdom ex- 
cludes vanity. Their work is well done, and they know it, and they 
rest content in their knowledge, do our mothers and wives — silent 
domestic heroines. 

I would state further, Mr. Chairman, that I am in favor of the 
contributory plan of pensions because the speaker believes that this 
is the only way in which an entering wedge of legislation of this sort 
can be given an impetus and be fair to the taxpayers. 



d CONTEIBUTORY PLAN OP EETIREMENT OF EMPLOYEES. 

I desire to state, Mr. Chairman, that the speaker is not an agitator^ 
and my duties keep me busy caring for those taken suddenly ill or 
injured in the titanic establishment just below your Capitol, as weU 
as being in charge of the injury compensation claims, and my odd 
moments are given over to solving problems in industrial hygiene, 
and research work, looking toward a cure for tuberculosis, and take 
my word for it, one is busy. 

It was my duty to come here this morning and tell you of what is 
an everyday experience with me in attempting to keep these old 
people at work^they all have experienced their financial setbacks 
coupled with domestic worries and disappointments — and to help 
them on their way by my feeble efforts, aided by the help given me 
by their respective division chiefs. A manufacturing establishment 
is a very different proposition from that of a bureau where purely 
clerical work is at hand, and the aged or infirm person is rather in 
the way in such institutions and a detriment to the service, by his or 
her presence, and as concerns the output of the respective product 
or manufacture. In other words, there is nothing to which you can 
assign them, and as I stated before, no one has the heart to order their 
dismissal after long years of faithful service, because the world grows 
more humane day by day — and God-fearing. 

The committee has heard the evidence of a $1,400 clerk here this 
morning as to the cost of living as concerns such a person with a wife 
and two children. What, then, is to be expected of an artisan mak- 
ing but $1,200 a year, and of a skilled or unskilled helper earning 
only one-half of $1,200? What has he to retire upon when the age 
of 65 is reached ? 

Of course, when a fellow's digestion is good and he's "fine, big, 
and hearty," himself, things of the nature described and discussed 
here this morning do not leave much of an impress upon him, and he 
is apt to say to himself, "Ich gebibbel," yet in my experience in 
deahng with men I have noted, at the bedside, during my professional 
visits, that this feeling as a rule vanishes, and such a person does a 
whole lot of thinking when his nervous and general system are sadly 
lacking in happy synchronism, and as a result he will naturally 
think along different lines than heretofore, as compared with when 
his physiological activities were attune and faultlessly playing a 
symphony, and Hygeia, the Goddess of Health, was swinging the 
b^ton. 

So far as this proposed legislation concerns industrial betterment, 
let us look at the matter broadly, gentlemen. It is not one of 
charity, but rather do you make and build for efficiency in our 
industrial pursuits. The wars of the future will be industrial com- 
bats between nation and nation for product supremacy. American 
brains and sinew pitted against the world. Let us build now by pav- 
ing the way for industrial retirement for wage earners, and blend 
efficiency, contentment, humanity, and Christianity into the future 
make-up of an American citizen. 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the permission given me to appear 
before yourself and this honorable committee this morning. 

o 



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